Heenan lands nation's top award

Posted: Wednesday, May 07, 2008

A text message from Georgia senior associate athletic director Carla Williams came as a surprise to Katie Heenan this past weekend.

The gymnast was in the midst of a whirlwind week - winning her fourth straight national title and getting engaged - when Williams informed her that she had been named the Honda Sports Award winner for gymnastics.

"It's just another thing to add to an exciting week," Heenan said. "It's something that I was hoping to get. It's very exciting and everybody has been so congratulatory."

The award was voted on by 1,000 NCAA member schools as part of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards program. Heenan was up against Utah's Ashley Postell, Michigan's Lindsey Bruck and Stanford's Tabitha Yim.

Heenan is the second straight and seventh overall Georgia gymnast to earn the honor. Last year, Courtney Kupets was the Honda Award recipient.

"For Georgia to get that two years in a row says a lot about us," Heenan said.

"To follow in Courtney's footsteps is literally amazing to me. She is superhuman to me and an amazing all-around athlete. I would never compare myself to her. To be able to have this right after her is very rewarding for me."

Heenan, who became Georgia's all-time leading scorer this season, competed with two herniated discs her senior year. Physical therapy and limited repetitions kept her going this season.

The 13-time All America selection was held out of all-around competitions until the later part of the season.

"I have said many times that Katie Heenan exemplifies what a collegiate student-athlete should be, and it is great to see her rewarded for the top honor you can win in our sport," Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan said in a news release.

The senior was All-SEC for four years and is just the fifth gymnast and 12th overall to do so.

She was named the SEC gymnast of the year last season and this year tied for third in the all-around competition at the NCAA Championships.

She was one of the most consistent gymnasts this season, counting just one fall. She hit more than 95 percent of all her routines at Georgia and finished her career with 81 individual event titles. Heenan, who notched two 10s in her career on floor and vault, was named the Georgia sportswoman of the year award by the Georgia Women's Intersport Network early in the season.

"All the coaches are kind of joking. I've won a fourth national championship, gotten engaged and won the Honda Award. It's going downhill from here," Heenan said. "What more can I ask for?"

Abundant awards

The Honda Sports Award is widely considered the Heisman Trophy for college gymnastics. Since its inception 32 years ago, a Georgia gymnast has secured the honor eight times. The voting is based on the results of balloting among 1,000 member schools.